Stormy Attraction

by Danielle Stewart

  “It was an interesting first day. My big question is how in the world did you open the floodgates to the loony bin? I’ve consulted for plenty of companies, and I’ve never seen people lined up like that.” Hugo crossed his legs and leaned back in the plush leather chair. James had an office worthy of envy, right down to the framed photographs of his wife and friends that took up space on the shelves behind him. Smiling faces, fancy events. He seemed to have the whole package. But Hugo knew better. There was no such thing as having it all.

  “I publicly called on people to demand accountability and transparency not just of me, but of all corporations. They took me very seriously. They lined up. They flooded the company email. They wrote very interesting letters. Speaking of the emails.” James keyed a few things into his computer and smiled. Not a friendly smile but the look a man gets when he’s poured poison into a drink and waits patiently for the person to take a sip.

  “Emails?”

  “I’ve just transferred them over to you. Please be sure to give them a personal touch as though they are coming from me, a concerned and dedicated CEO.”

  “Which you are?” Hugo had no problem challenging James. This was a job no one else would want to do. Nor would they be able to do it as well as Hugo could. James was going to need him around, and it wouldn’t be long before he realized it.

  “I am absolutely concerned with the reputation and legacy of this company.” James was painfully serious now as he leaned forward. “Mistakes, terrible decisions were made. I’ve worked to correct them and ensure they never happen again. West Oil will not be remembered as a corrupt and greedy business. Not as long as I’m at the helm.”

  “I’d like to expand my role.” Hugo was well aware he was inching onto thin ice. But standing on solid ground never got him anywhere.

  “On day two?”

  “It’s never too early to do your part.”

  James chuckled humorlessly but gave the impression he was, at a minimum, intrigued. “How should we expand your role? You haven’t really even seen how many emails you’ll be answering.”

  “You’d be amazed how a little structure and a few interns can whip that job into a well-oiled machine. We can address all the incoming concerns and feedback from the public. That’s defense. What about some offense?”

  “I told you we outsource our PR firm. They do well. They do what I tell them. That’s what I like most about them.”

  Hugo thought about it for a moment. Everyone was motivated by something. James wanted his company and its legacy preserved. That he could work with. “The PR company addresses issues and gets you a few ribbon-cutting and goodwill photo ops. Forget preserving your legacy, you need to define it.”

  “Who put a nickel in you this morning?” James changed his posture, looking suddenly leery of the new guy with the big ideas. “I already saw your request for three members to add to your staff. I don’t remember giving you a staff.”

  “I can do the job by myself.” Hugo looked on smugly as he made his case. “But I can create something sustainable that runs like a machine. You know it’s never a good idea to make a job completely dependent on one person. You need contingencies, process plans, and with that comes a staff. Do you disagree?”

  “You know how someone described you to me recently? They said you were smooth as a penguin sliding down an iceberg. I’m a hammer. I smash my way to my destination. We are very different.”

  “Maybe equally effective though.”

  “Time will tell. The staff is fine. Don’t worry so much about my legacy. That’s big picture and not what I hired you for.”

  “All I’m asking is that you let me present a few ideas that could revolutionize the way companies in your industry do business as well as propel you to the top of the pile.”

  “I didn’t peg you as a pitchman. Your reputation was based on the fact that you quiet the noise. Defuse situations. That’s the skill set I was looking for.”

  “And you’ve got that.” Hugo felt the tension in the room building as they faced off. This was like being in the boxing ring. You had to strike then duck. Keep your feet moving. “But you’d be a fool not to utilize all my potential.”

  “A fool?” That punch landed hard.

  “Only if you don’t hear me out. Let me put some options together for you. There is real potential here. Don’t just mitigate the risk, stake your claim.”

  “All right, cowboy.” James folded his hands together as though he were ready to strike this deal. “You can pitch me some ideas, but remember what you’re actually here to do. Don’t screw it up.”

  They didn’t bother with any formalities or niceties as Hugo stepped out of James’s office. The warning from James was exactly how he’d like to leave it. Keep him guessing and on his toes.

  “Mr. Ronaldo.” A woman with an ankle length skirt and large wire-rimmed glasses was practically chasing him down the hallway. “I’m your new assistant, Maribel. Mr. West approved your request for three staff members. I’m gathering up résumés from the staffing agencies.”

  “Great.” Hugo stopped abruptly, worried that Maribel would twist an ankle trying to chase him down. “Have them interview with me today. I want this to move quickly.”

  “Yes Sir.” She nervously jotted a note down and waited for direction the way a runner waits to hear the gun go off at the starting line. Her hand shook as she clutched the pencil so tightly it looked like it might snap.

  “I’m expecting someone in this morning. Her name is Junie O’Malley. Send her in when she gets here. Other than that and the interviews, let’s keep the day quiet.”

  “Oh,” Maribel gasped and clutched at the clunky set of fake pearls around her neck. “Oh no. Sir, I misunderstood. Miss O’Malley was here this morning. She said she had a meeting with you but it wasn’t on the schedule. I sent her away.”

  “You what?”

  The shade of pink that Maribel turned could not be found in nature. It was a glowing hue of sheer humiliation. The only things that could cool her cheeks were the tears that had begun streaming down. “I am so sorry. I was told that your role was fielding some less than desirable people. I was warned they were persistent. She certainly was. I offered her a seat in the waiting pen but she declined. I think I really insulted her.”

  “Maribel, please stop crying.” People were moving past them, looking on nervously as they walked up and down the hallway. The last thing he needed was the reputation of a man who makes his assistants cry. James West had that market cornered already. “Come into my office please.”

  “Sir, I really need this job.” She sputtered out pitiful sobs. “I was a temp and they told me I would be full-time. Benefits and everything. I’ve waited a long time, put in the hours even though the pay has been rough.”

  “Maribel, I’m not firing you. Please have a seat.” Hugo gestured to the chair across from his desk as he handed her a tissue. “You’re going to be my assistant. You’re my number two. The most important person on my team. My gatekeeper. My schedule keeper. Even my secret keeper. Do you understand?”

  “Secrets?” Her wet eyes went wide behind her thick glasses. It started as shock but transferred quickly to intrigue.

  “We’ll be a team. I’m just starting out here too. I want to do well but I need to know someone has my back. I can do the same for you, but I’ve got to know you’re with me.”

  “Yes.” She straightened up in her chair and wiped her cheeks. “I can do that. I can be your person. You can count on me.”

  “You don’t need to walk around scared of me. I know you’ve probably encountered all sorts of employers over the years. It does us no good if you’re spending all your time nervous and wondering if you’re screwing up. How long were you a temp here?”

  “Two years. And yes, I’ve had all kinds of employers.” A knowing look passed between them. This world was a jungle with plenty of predators. Maribel had the look of easy prey.

  “Well, I’m not going to scream at you or fire y
ou. All I’m looking for is loyalty and hard work. That’s your end of the bargain.”

  “I can do that. I will do that.”

  “Great. First, forget everything you’ve heard about this job. I’m not here to pull people from the Pen every day and make them go away. I’m not here to dig through the emails and look for the biggest liabilities. You know what I’m here for?”

  “What?” Maribel whispered and moved to the edge of her seat as if they were conspiring together now.

  “I’m going to run things someday. I’m not saying West Oil. I’m not even saying a company at all. Maybe it’ll be bigger than that. But I’m climbing. Every day. This position is probably a joke around this company. We’re going to change that. We’re going to change everything.”

  “We are?”

  “We are. You, me, and the three other people we hire. We need a tight team. We need a force. Something strong. You understand?”

  “I . . . uh. I’m not sure I do.” Maribel dropped her hands into her lap as though she knew how much of a disappointment she must be.

  “You’ll get there, Maribel. You’re the right woman for the job.”

  “In what way have I given you that impression?” She half laughed and half cried.

  “Because you need it. You need this work so you’re going to do whatever it takes. Just like me. That’s what is going to make the difference. I need to look into your eyes and see that you want exactly what I want.”

  “Yes sir.” Maribel straightened up again and now looked him square in the eye. A good coach could rally any player and make them believe they could win.

  “I’m going to track Junie down and get her back here. You go ahead and start lining up interviews. Make sure you’re looking for just the right people.”

  “Will do.” There was a bounce in Maribel’s step as she left his office. He’d gotten his mojo back after last night’s mess. It had been a fluke, a hiccup. Today he’d right himself, work with Junie, and not get swept up in her.

  Hugo didn’t want to be anything like his father, but this was a skill he couldn’t deny was in his genes. The difference was that he didn’t have to use it for evil and personal gain the way his father did. It didn’t have to enable him to weave webs of deceit and betrayal. Sometimes you could just build someone up and hope they rise to the occasion. Maribel looked ready to conquer the world now.

  Chapter 7

  “And you slept with him?” Val asked with a wistful sigh.

  “No!” Junie gasped. “Where did you get that? I didn’t say I slept with him.” She held her phone between her shoulder and her ear and forgot for a second she was in a busy coffee shop. The place suddenly fell quiet, all eyes turning her way. Grabbing her coffee, she dropped her head and slid into a booth by the door.

  “I’m sorry.” There was no real apology in Val’s voice. “You said you had this incredible meeting, followed by the best dinner at a fancy restaurant. Then, like a knight in shining armor, he swept in and saved you from a seedy motel. You went back to his hotel. I can read between the lines.”

  “Put your glasses on, girl. You’re reading it all wrong. I did not sleep with him. He didn’t save me from my motel. He basically aided in my kidnapping. And this morning he told me to be at his office. Then his assistant basically tossed me out on my ass.”

  “Oh, I like it.”

  “You like what?” Junie sipped her coffee and leaned back. No one could make her laugh like Val. They’d grown up together. Basically cousins, though there was no real blood relation between them. Their fathers were best friends since high school and their lives, the ups and downs, were woven together like a well-worn sweater big enough for them all to wear. That included Junie and Val. They had years when they were inseparable. Days when they fought like sisters. Val was always quick to remind Junie that she was older and therefore, by default, wiser.

  “I like the mind games he’s playing.” Val laughed and did her familiar little snort. It was a signature of her laugh that would have them doubled over at sleepovers, tears of joy streaming down their cheeks. Those were the best days. The easy days. Before the boys and the drama. The hardest thing in their lives was trying to get enough money together to buy a coveted CD. “Yeah this guy knows what he’s doing. Hot and cold always ends hot. Always.”

  “I’m not interested in a temperature change. I’m just fine the way I am. I came here to get a meeting and make things happen. Mind games are not part of my plan.” Junie knew Val was as good as any fancy lie detector the government could strap to you. She’d hear the way the pitch of her voice had shot up. She was well aware of the last time Junie had been on a decent date.

  “Girl you’re going to do fine with or without this guy. You left this place and you’re not coming back. I know it. But don’t try to convince me you don’t want to ride him like a bronco.”

  Though Junie had to laugh at her crude metaphor there was something deeper that jabbed at her stomach. Val had it rough. Worse than Junie ever did. Her father was a drinker. She had four little sisters and after her mother ran off it was all on her to raise them. And she did a hell of a job. Every single one graduated high school. They often joked that it was a miracle she kept them off the three worst things. The streets. The pole. Drugs. Keeping them away from idiot boyfriends was a little harder and practically a full-time job. Val chased away as many fools with her baseball bat as Junie’s brothers had over the years.

  Now Val was worn down. She’d twisted her back at work unloading a truck for the store when one of the stock boys called out sick. She was still dragging herself in every day, pushing through.

  The pang in Junie’s stomach was guilt. The night of sleep she had last night, the breakfast she’d devoured from room service—she was indulging in things her friends and family never had the opportunity to sample. Their success was all tightly tethered to hers, and at the moment that rope felt like it was tightening around her neck.

  “Of course I’m coming back. Southie is home. Don’t be ridiculous. This is going to be like all the other times. I’m going to fall flat on my face, fail, and go back to working at the coffee shop at the mall.”

  “This place isn’t home.” Val sounded suddenly serious. “Home is supposed to be safe and happy. This place is neither. You got out. Stay out. Don’t stop until you change your life. Forget what you’re working on. You are a beautiful, smart woman. Just trick this rich man and make him fall in love with you. It can’t be that hard. They are simple creatures, Junie.”

  “I’m not going to try to trick a man into falling in love with me!” Again, most eyes in the coffee shop turned her way. “Will you stop with that stuff? Hugo is just a means to an end.”

  “You’re making my point. All I’m saying is sometimes there is more than one path forward. You have assets. Use them.” Val was joking. She wasn’t laughing but Junie knew her well enough. They didn’t have much. They might not be able to rub elbows with the rich and famous often, but they were proud women. Women of ideals. That’s what their world, the one they grew up in, had taught them. You might not have much, but you could have class.

  “You’re talking like you won’t even miss me.” Junie let out a little whine, knowing her friend would take the bait.

  “Of course I won’t miss you. I won’t have a chance to. The second you get your shit squared away there you’re calling me and making room for me in your fancy new house. I’ll get your coffee or walk your dog. I don’t care. As long as we’re together. I’m counting on you. You’re my ticket out, and I’m not too proud to admit it.”

  “Check your eggs.” Junie worried for her dear friend and her misplaced confidence. “I’m not the basket to put all those things in. Remember I got kicked out of his office this morning. I might never see him again.”

  “Hey you watch your own eggs. Make sure Mr. Fancy Bossman doesn’t accidentally turn one into a baby. Or wait, that might be even better. Then you get eighteen years at least.”

  Junie was just abo
ut to scold Val when her phone chirped with a text message. “Oh gosh, he’s texting me.”

  “What does it say?”

  “We are not at a sleepover in junior high.” Junie sighed and rolled her eyes but she knew there was no way she’d get away without filling Val in.

  “Tell me,” Val said in a singsong voice. “Teeeellll meeee.”

  “Ugh, fine. He sent me a text message that said: Sorry for the mix-up this morning. My assistant will be expecting you. How quickly can you get back? We’ve got work to do.

  “Oh, he’s got it so bad for you. What a game he’s playing. Be cool.” Val’s excitement was so intense Junie had to pull the phone away from her ear.

  “Nothing about that message implies he’s got it bad for me.”

  “It’s not what he said. It’s the message in general. Oh this boy is good. He’s so good.”

  “I honestly don’t know why I bother calling you.” Junie rolled her eyes but they both knew damn well neither of their lives worked without the support of the other. Their relationship was symbiotic. Junie still remembered learning the word in biology, hearing about the caterpillar that needed the ant to protect it from predators and in return produced a sweet liquid for the ant to drink. Some days Junie was the caterpillar, other days she was the ant. But they always had each other.

  “I’m your rock.” Val huffed as though she was annoyed to have to remind her of this fact.

  Junie laughed, thinking of how boring her life would be without Val. “I don’t know if I’d call you my rock. You’re more like a pebble constantly stuck in my shoe.”

  “You keep your head in the game there.” Val was suddenly firm, maternal. It was a skill she’d mastered while mothering all her sisters. “Use everything you have to get this done. Use this guy. Use whatever you’ve got. You’re out, Junie. Now stay out.”